Holder for sap-buckets and lids.



A. L. MILKS. HOLDER r011 sA'P BUGKETS Am) LIDs. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1909.

Patented Oct.- 5, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARA LYNN MILKS, OF NAPOLI, NEW YORK.

HOLDER FOR- SAP-BUCKETS AND LIDS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARA L. MILKs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Napoli, in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Holder for Sap-Buckets and Lids, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improve ments in holders for sap buckets and lids and is designed to operate in conjunction with a sap spout to form a suitable support for the sap pail so that the latter is prevented from swaying and at the same time to form a support for a cover for the bucket so that the cover may be readily placed in position or removed but when in position is firmly held against accidental displacement.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the sap spout with the attachment applied thereto and the cover in place. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the cover, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pail or bucket and cover holder removed from the spout.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a sap spout 1 of known construction and forming no part of the present invention. The sap spout is provided with a portion 2 adapted to enter the tree while the remainder of the spout is designed to be exterior to the tree and to be arranged at a suitable angle for the flow of the sap along a longitudinal channel 3 formed in the exterior portion of the spout. Exterior to the tree and adjacent to the end 2 the spout is formed with a partially circumferential groove 3. The spout as shown may be bought in the market and it is to a spout of this character, though not necessarily of the particular construction shown, that the present invention relates.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a holder, best shown in Fig. 3, and as there shown this holder is formed of wire and comprises two parallel legs t4: bent at one end into return loops 5 arranged to encircle the spout 1 at the groove 3 in opposite directions. The return portions of the loops 5 remote from the legs 4 cross each other and are then continued away from the legs 4 at right angles thereto forming divergent members 6 ultimately joined by a yoke 7, then in the return direction along the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 4, 1909.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

Serial No. 493,907.

members 6 but spaced therefrom to constitute a hook with spaced supporting portions 8 at the point of junction of the member 7 with the members 6. The free ends of the legs 4 are bent into short curves 9 extending laterally from the longitudinal plane of the legs in the direction of the members 6 and finally terminating in up-turned ends.

There is provided a cover 10 for the sap bucket, which latter however is not shown since it may be of the ordinary construction used in the gathering of maple or other sap and this cover is assumed to be of ample size to cover the bucket. The cover is designed to rest on the upper edge of the spout 1 exterior to the tree and at one point is provided with a short extension 11 radial to the cover, which latter is generally of circular form. The extension 11 is of such size as to fit between wings 12 formed on each side of the longitudinal passage 3 of the spout 1 adjacent to the tree-engaging end 2 and in front of the groove 3. On the upper face of the cover are formed two slight depressions 13 spaced apart at the same distance as are the hook ends 9 of the legs 4: and also so spaced from the portion of the cover provided with the projection 11 that when the cover is placed upon the upper edge of the spout 1 with the projection 11 between the wings 12 the hooks 9 will engage in the depressions 18.

When the spout 1 is properly inserted in the tree the rim of the bucket will engage over the hook member 7 in such manner as to rest in the curves 8, which latter being spaced apart will prevent the bucket from swinging. Then the cover is introduced beneath the legs e which are made sutficiently elastic to yield for the introduction of the cover and this cover is pushed back along the spout 1 until the extension 11 engages between the wings 12 when the hook ends 9 will drop into the depressions 13 and thus lock the cover in place by their elasticity. Rotative movement of the cover is prevented by the engagement of the extension 11 between the wings 12.

The structure shown in Fig. 3 is so constructed as to spring apart so that it may be inserted onto the spout 1 and then when released will spring together so that the loops 5 will embrace the spout 1 at the groove 3. The upper members of the loops 5 where they overlie the top of the spout 1 at the groove 3 are made straight so as to prevent tipping of the attachment upon the spout and this tipping is also prevented by the cover 10 when in place under the neck 4. Because of the construction of the attachment shown in Fig. 3 it may be made of a single piece of wire of suflicient elasticity bent into the shape shown or substantially such shape. The cover 10 may be made of metal and the depressions 13 may be simply stamped into said metal without perforating the same.

The relative sizes of the attachment shown in Fig. 3 and the spout 1 are about such asare used in practice but the size of the cover 10 as shown in the drawings is not proportional except for small buckets and may be made as large as necessary so that, if desired, a single size of cover may be adapted to any size bucket, the cover being made sufficiently large to cover the largest buckets and therefore will of course cover smaller buckets.

What is claimed is 1. An attachment for sap spouts comprising a member formed of a single piece of wire bent into an intermediate loop adapted to embrace a sap spout close to the tree engaging portion, said member being provided with a depending portion bent to form a hook with divergent pail engaging parts, and also having its free ends formed into elastic legs project-ing in the direction of the length of the spout and adapted to engage and hold a cover.

2. An attachment for sap spouts comprising a single piece of wire formed into two spaced legs terminating in return loops dis posed in relatively opposite positions and adapted to embrace the sap spout close to the tree engaging end thereof, said return loops terminating indivergent members joined by a yoke returned on the divergent members to form a hook.

An attachment for sap spouts comprising a single piece of wire formed into two spaced legs terminating in return loops disposed in relatively opposite positions and adapted to embrace the sap spout close to the tree engaging end thereof, said return loops terminating in divergent members joined by a yoke returned on the divergent members to form a hook, the legs terminating at their free ends in portions bent first downward and then upward with relation to the position of the attachment when on a sap spout.

4. The combination with a sap spout of a single piece of wire formed into two spaced legs terminating in return loops disposed in relatively opposite positions and adapted to embrace the sap spout close to the tree engaging end thereof, said return loops terminating in divergent members joined by a yoke returned on the divergent members to form a hook, the legs terminating at their free ends in portions bent first downward and then upward with relation to the position of the attachment when on a sap spout, and a cover provided with spaced depressions adapted to be engaged by the bent free ends of the legs.

5. The combination with a sap spout of a single piece of wire formed into two spaced legs terminating in return loops disposed in relatively opposite positions and adapted to embrace the sap spout close to the tree engaging end thereof, said return loops terminating in divergent members joined by ayoke returned on the divergent members to form a hook, the legs terminating attheir free ends in portions bent first downward and then upward with relation to the position of the attachment when on a sap spout, and a cover provided with spaced depressions adapted to be engaged by the bent free ends of the legs, said cover being provided with a projection adapted to engage the sap spout to prevent the cover from turning.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARA LYNN MILKS.

Witnesses LYNN V. BALLARD, Mnn'roN L. ANsELL. 

